The Brahman told him all that had occurred. "How very confusing!" said the jackal, when the recital was ended; "would you mind telling me over again, for everything seems so mixed up?" The Brahman told it all over again, but the jackal shook his head in a distracted sort of way, and still could not understand. "It's very odd," said he sadly, "but it all seems to go in at one ear and out at the other! I will go to the place where it all happened, and then, perhaps, I shall be able to give a judgment." So they returned to the cage, by which the tiger was waiting for the Brahman, and sharpening his teeth and claws. "You've been away a long time!" growled the savage beast, "but now let us begin our dinner." "_Our_ dinner!" thought the wretched Brahman, as his knees knocked together with fright; "what a remarkably delicate way of putting it!" "Give me five minutes, my lord!" he pleaded, "in order that I may explain matters to the jackal here, who is somewhat slow in his wits." The tiger consented, and the Brahman began the whole story over again, not missing a single detail, and spinning as long a yarn as possible. "Oh, my poor brain! oh, my poor brain!" cried the jackal, wringing its paws. "Let me see! how did it all begin? You were in the cage, and the tiger came walking by--" "Pooh!" interrupted the tiger, "what a fool you are! _I_ was in the cage." "Of course!" cried the jackal, pretending to tremble with fright; "yes! I was in the cage--no, I wasn't--dear! dear! where are my wits? Let me see--the tiger was in the Brahman, and the cage came walking by--no, that's not it, either! Well, don't mind me, but begin your dinner, for I shall never understand!" "Yes, you shall!" returned the tiger, in a rage at the jackal's stupidity; "I'll _make_ you understand! Look here--I am the tiger--" "Yes, my lord!" "And that is the Brahman--" "Yes, my lord!" "And that is the cage--" "Yes, my lord!" "And I was in the cage--do you understand?" "Yes--no----Please, my lord--" "Well?" cried the tiger impatiently. "Please, my lord! How did you get in?" "How? Why in the usual way, of course!" "Oh, dear me! my head is beginning to whirl again! Please don't be angry, my lord, but what is the usual way?" At this the tiger lost patience, and jumping into the cage, cried, "This way! Now do you understand how it was?" "Perfectly!" grinned the jackal, as he dexterously shut the door, "and if you will permit me to say so, I think matters will remain as they were!" 183